Portable fence.



NIL-643,058.

Patented Fab. 6, I900.

w. m. HILL. PORTABLE FENCE.

(Application flied Oct. 19, 1899.)

(No Modem n. u w 1 M v n i V M W w a section.

ATEN'I @rricn.

\VILLIAM M. HILL, OF SUSPENSION, ALABAMA.

PORTABLE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,058, dated February 6, 1900.

Application filed October 19, 1899. Serial No. 734,082. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Suspension, in the county of Bullock and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Fences; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in portable fences; and its object is to provide a fence of this character embodying simplicity and cheapness of construction with strength and durability and designed to be easily and quickly assembled and disassembled for use, storage, or transportation, and also conveniently arranged to suit the character or configuration of the ground to be partially or wholly inclosed.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide a coupling which is adapted for use -in connecting fence-panels arranged either in a straight line or at right angles to each other and which can be applied and removed with ease and facility.

With these and other minor objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described,and specifically set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of three connecting panels of a fence embodying the invention, one of the panels being arranged at right angles to the others. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the connecting ends of the two straight or alined panels, showing the outer battens thereof removed and the transverse braceor support in Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the connecting ends of the panels and couplingbar, showing the transverse brace in elevation. Fig. 418 an elevation showing the corner-coupling. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4. looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the coupling-bar. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the connection of the wires with the batten. The fence is made up of a series of panels A, coupled together and arranged to suit the outline of the plot of ground to be partially or wholly inclosed or to form a pen or rack for confining cattle placed out to pasture. Each panel com prises in its construction corner-posts B, connected by horizontal rails or bars 0 and wires D, the rails and wires being preferably alternately disposed and braced centrally by vertical stays E, having guides for the wires, as shown. The lower rail and upper wire are respectively arranged a short distance above and below the adjacent ends of the posts, so that the lower ends of the posts may be embedded in the ground, if desired, to more effectually support the panel, while the upper ends thereof will beclear of connecting parts or obstructions which would interfere with the free application and removal of the coupling devices. Each post is composed, in the present instance, of a pair of battens B, placed upon opposite sides of the rails and suitably secured thereto, a space or slot 9 being thus formed for .the reception of the ends of the rails and coupling devices and passage of the terminals of the wires. Instead of constructing the post in this manner, however, itmay be made of a bar bifurcated fora portion of its length to form a slot opening through the upper end thereof and a solid base portion to rest upon or enter the ground, as will be readily understood.

From the posts of each panel extend projections h, which are beveled or otherwise shaped to overlap the corresponding projections on the adjacent posts of adjoining panels and form scarf-joints to secure a firm and stable connection and interlocking engagement between all the panels of the fence. These projections are preferably formed by reducing and extending the ends of the horizontal rails beyond the posts; but they may be made independent of the rails, if desired. The wires D may be either plain or barbed; but barbed wire is preferably employed to deter cattle from crowding or pressing against the fence. To secure an effective bracing action between and above the horizontal rails to assist the fastening devices of the latter in preventing spreading or bulging of the post-battens, the ends of thewires are passed between the battens,wound therearound, and secured by a staple or other suitable fastening device, thus forming a bracing-loop 13,

which prevents the battens from moving laterally or longitudinally of the panel and maintains them in fixed relation.

The panels are maintained in an upright position and held from yielding or falling over under wind and other pressure by inverted-V-shaped transverse braces J, placed between the posts of adjacent panels. Each of these braces, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, consists of inclined side standards K, forming an inverted-V-shaped frame and connected by upper and lower cross-pieces L, the upper edges of said standards being out 01f obliquely to stand vertically and spaced apart to snugly receive a post between them and the lower edges thereof being arranged to stand horizontally and afiord a firm bearing upon the surface of the ground. The cross pieces of the brace are provided with slots or notches m, opening through their upper edges, which receive the overlapping projections h, and the side walls thereof hold said projections from lateral displacement. In placing the brace in position and connecting the ends of adjacent panels the brace is first arranged transversely, so that the upper edges of its standards will bear upon opposite sides of the post of one panel and the notches of its cross-pieces will receive the projections of said panel, and then the other panel is brought into position and its projections guided into said notches. lVhen the parts are thus connected, it will be seen that the cross-pieces of the brace extend between the posts of the panels and hold the interlocking projections in engagement, while the side standards thereof bear upon the post of one panel and hold the panel firmly against lateral movement.

To hold the panels connected, a couplingbar N of the construction shown in detail in Fig. 6 is employed. This bar is formed with opposite end shoulders 0 and a reduced connecting web or shank p. This shank is inserted in the spaces or slots in the upper ends of the posts and prevents the panels from moving laterally, while the shoulders bear against the inner ends of the posts and hold the panels from longitudinal movement. The loops '5 of the wires, in addition to forming braces, act as stops to prevent the couplingbars from slipping down.

When the panels are arranged at right angles and a corner-coupling is necessary, the projections on the adjacent end post of one panel are notched at top and bottom to form T-heads q, and notches 'r are provided in the edges of the horizontal rails of the other panel to receive a portion of the neck of the T, while coupling-bars of the structure heretofore described are slidably mounted in the post of said latter panel to fit down and engage the other portion of the T to hold the parts connected, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The coupling-bars in this instance may be placed below the wires, so as to be retained in position thereby.

It will be seen from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, that the fence is simple, cheap, and strong in construction and susceptible of being quickly and conveniently put up for use and taken down for storage or transportatiomand it will be understood that while the preferred embodiment is herein shown changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described theinvention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a portable fence, the combination of panels having end posts provided with vertical slots, horizontal bars or rails extending through said slots and having projections, and line-wires having bracing-loops surrounding the parts of the posts, a transverse brace extending between the posts and having notches or recesses to receive said projcctions, and a coupling-bar fitted in the slots of the posts and holding the parts detachably connected.

2. In a portable fence, panels arranged at right angles and having horizontal rails and bifurcated or vertically-slotted end posts, one of said panels being provided with T projections and the rails of the other with slots to receive the same, and coupling-bars fitted in the post of the latter panel and engaging said T projections and forminga corner-coupling to hold the panels connected, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM M. HILL. 

